The Ottawa Carleton Ultimate Association (OCUA) is a thriving organization built upon a strong sense of community amongst its members, from youth to adult recreational and competitive players. OCUA strives to ensure that, from “cradle to grave”, Ultimate players enjoy their sporting experience.

Founded in 1986, this not-for-profit organization is amongst the largest Ultimate leagues in the world. OCUA relies strongly on effective management of volunteers and strategic leadership in order to continue to be a forerunner in the Ultimate sporting community.

The Executive Director needs to be a successful results-oriented project manager able to work at the grass-roots level and implement concrete plans that further the mandate of the Association. The Executive Director will be leading a small but dedicated team of employees, as well as working with volunteers and partners, in order to deliver programs to youth, junior and adult players. Continuing to build on the mandate for strong financial sustainability, forging strategic alliances in the public sector, private sector and in the broader sports community is an essential skill for the Executive Director. Serving as the Association’s Chief Executive Officer, the Executive Director will make independent operating decisions within policy guidelines set by the elected Board of Directors.

Responsibilities:

The OCUA Executive Director has two main areas of responsibility, Administration and Operations, and Strategic Relationships.

ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS:

The Executive Director is responsible for the sound management of the Association, including:

Managing, motivating and recruiting a small team of employees and contractors;

Managing, motivating and recruiting volunteers from within our membership;

Oversight and involvement in the creation, marketing, preparation and operations of leagues, clinics, tournaments and other ultimate programs;

Communication with historic, current and potential members in a timely and professional manner;

Oversight of the recruitment, training and support of volunteers for key operational positions, such as coordinators and coaches;

Preparing an annual budget for Board approval and managing the Association’s finances accordingly;

Providing input into the strategic direction of OCUA as well as developing and executing operational plans to deliver on the determined strategic plan and annual priorities;

Constantly reassessing the operations and operational structure of the Association and recommending and implementing any operational improvements necessary;

Creating, running and supervising innovative Ultimate programs designed for the Ottawa community;

Overseeing the quality maintenance of our Ultimate facilities and assets;

Ensuring that the Association’s website is effectively managed and, along with other electronic media, is used to its full potential;

Oversight of website content management;

Performing general office management tasks;

Undertaking special projects, as requested by the Board of Directors; and,

General oversight of all operations and the ability to perform all functions on an as needed basis.

STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS:

The Executive Director is the Association’s ambassador, stakeholder representative and media contact and is responsible for building relationships that deliver tangible benefits to the Association, including:

Developing and maintaining strong working relationships with City officials and politicians, to ensure Ultimate's representation in City planning and equitable access to public resources;

Personally engaging the members, regardless of level of play and commitment, to foster a strong sense of community and promote the Spirit of the Game;

Managing relationships with contractors, suppliers and partners, to ensure the smooth delivery of programs and services;

Engaging the local media, to increase press coverage and general awareness of Ultimate in Ottawa;

Developing and maintaining partnerships with schools and community groups to advance youth programs;

Working with business partners to create mutually-beneficial sponsorship opportunities; and,

Developing new relationships and opportunities for playing facilities as required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

The successful candidate will possess the following mandatory qualifications:

A university or college degree, or equivalent experience;

A minimum of 3-5 years of sports management experience;

Financial analysis capabilities, including skills for the creation and management of a budget, basic book keeping skills and/or audit experience;

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills;

A customer service driven approach to business;

Demonstrated team-building and leadership skills;

Excellent project management and organizational skills;

An ability to work independently;

Strong verbal and written communications skills and instincts;

A high level of comfort with office computing and internet technologies; and,

Ability to adapt to a flexible work schedule including evenings and weekends.

The following assets are considered desirable:

Experience working with OCUA as a league or program volunteer;

Experience in the development and execution of a marketing vision, strategies and operating plans; and,

The ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, in both official languages

Apply:

To apply for this position, please email hiring@ocua.ca with your resume and cover letter to the attention of the Hiring Committee, OCUA Board of Directors. OCUA will be accepting applications between August 11th, 2014 and August 22nd, 2014.

Information:

For further information regarding this opportunity, please feel free to contact:

The Ottawa-Carleton Ultimate Association (OCUA) is a registered non-profit corporation dedicated to the sport of Ultimate in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Ultimate in Ottawa began in 1984 as a result of individuals coming together to play Ultimate in scrimmage games. In the summer of 1985, local Ottawa players organized the first “No Borders” tournament, with visiting teams from North Bay, Toronto, and the United States. In 1986 formal league organization meetings took place to organize a league with basic principles and guidelines.

The first ultimate league in Ottawa began play in May 1986 with 5 teams as OCULT (Ottawa City Ultimate League, Thing). As a result of this new league, players from Ottawa helped organize a Canadian entry into the 1986 World Championships in Colchester, England, joining players from Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver to form the Canadian team. The first Canadian National Championships for Ultimate were held for the open division in Ottawa in 1987.

In 1993, the league which had increased its number of teams six-fold, officially incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation and was renamed Ottawa Carleton Ultimate Association (OCUA). Since 1993 OCUA has provided recreational Ultimate leagues in Ottawa, reaching a peak of 354 teams registered for summer league play in 2004.

As of 2014 and the start of summer leagues there are over 250 teams playing in recreational adult and youth leagues. The number of teams that play with OCUA in summer league has made it one of the largest Ultimate leagues in Canada, having well over 3,500 players registered year round in various types of leagues.

OCUA has the unique distinction of being the Ultimate association with the largest privately owned field complex for Ultimate in the world. Located in Manotick, just outside Ottawa, UPI (Ultimate Parks Incorporated) was built in 1998 and funded entirely by the membership of OCUA. The 19 irrigated fields of UPI, dedicated solely to Ultimate, were in large part constructed by the efforts of OCUA members.